Monday, October 13, 2014

"Images of America - Newnan" is released!

Anyone who has entered an American bookstore in the last 20 years or so has probably come across one of the books in Arcadia Publishing's "Images of America" series of local history books, and I am absolutely delighted to have received a copy of their new release featuring my town of Newnan, Georgia, since the author is a friend and former colleague, Jeff Bishop. He's a father of five, a fact I got to enjoy and appreciate since our desks were next to each other for many years when he and I worked at the local newspaper together. Jeff went back to school a few years ago and got his Master's in Public History, and he now manages our local museums. When I heard he had written a new history book on Newnan, I knew it would be good and it would be right!

Newnan loves its history, and I am so proud to see my town has warranted a book in the "Images of America" series. Newnan was a big cotton town at one time, so I love this photo showing the North Court Square in the 1890s. The architecture of our downtown still looks very much like this today, and I love seeing the cotton wagons rolling along roads that have long since been replaced by asphalt. Newnan, founded in 1828, is known as the "City of Homes," and one reason for that is the many antebellum homes that have been preserved. Newnan also played a role as a hospital town during the Civil War, and more than 10,000 Confederate soldiers were treated at the seven hospitals here.

One of Newnan's many claims to fame is historic Dunaway Gardens, the majestic rock gardens built out in the countryside of Newnan in the 1920s and 1930s by theatrical producer Wayne P. Sewell and his bride, the actress Hetty Jane Dunaway. Here in Newnan they trained acting professionals who toured the Southeast, including an actress you might have heard of, Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon, more commonly known as the stage character Minnie Pearl. It was great to see Dunaway Gardens history so prominently featured in the book. I've seen the beautifully restored gardens today, and yet I've so wished I could have dined at the famous "Blue Bonnet Tea Room" that older folks have told me once served guests who visited Dunaway. Alas, I never saw a single image of anyone dining at the tea room until …

… Jeff's book arrived and look, there are guests dining inside the Blue Bonnet Tea Room at Dunaway Gardens! I liked the book already, but I truly *loved* it once I saw this photo. It was also fun to see photos of businesses of yesteryear, old families (both black and white, I was pleased to see), and even a vintage photo of my longtime newspaper boss with his father and grandfather. Jeff has done a great job of capturing the spirit of Newnan in the book, and I'm so proud of him for preserving Newnan history in this way. (If you happen to be by Barnes and Noble tonight, he has a book signing there at 6 p.m.) For those of you who live in Newnan, many of you will no doubt want to get a copy. And for those of you who know Newnan only as the home of your blogger friend here, I have a question. Do any of you live in towns or communities featured in an "Images of America" book? I'd love to know which friends live in towns that have been featured!

Newnan, $21.99, Arcadia Publishing. Available at local retailers, online bookstores, or through Arcadia Publishing at www.arcadiapublishing.com or (888) 313-2665.

Photos are from the Newnan-Coweta Historical Society and courtesy of Arcadia Publishing

11 comments:

The city where I grew up, Wyandotte, MI has an Images of America book, as well as the city where I've lived for 36 years, Warren, MI. I love the Images of America books, and bought one about the DuPont Hotel when I visited Wilmington, Delaware recently. And, of course, I have the two Arcadia books about J.L. Hudson's Department Store co-authored by Mike Hauser.

Smiling because I was going to ask if your photo was in the book, since you are what Newnan is known to me. I have no idea if where I live or where I was born have been in a book called Images of America. Now I will have to check and see. How fun that there is a tearoom picture in this book too. I just know it is a nod to his tea friend, Angela.

Our closest large city is Tyler, Texas and there is an Images of America book all about it by Robert E. Reed. Tyler is the "Rose Capital of America" and right now they're gearing up for the annual Rose Festival complete with Rose Queen, a parade, Queen's Tea, and other events.

Our closest large city is Tyler, Texas and there is an Images of America book all about it by Robert E. Reed. Tyler is the "Rose Capital of America" and right now they're gearing up for the annual Rose Festival complete with Rose Queen, a parade, Queen's Tea, and other events.

Congratulations to your friend!More common around here is the "Postcard History Series" also by Arcadia books. My dad wrote the one for Mechanicsburg based around his great collection of antique and vintage postcards.